05-25-2018, 03:17 PM
(05-25-2018, 02:54 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: Okay, that makes sense why I got it backwards. I've never owned a .223/5.56, but I've had plenty of .308s in my time we used to have an M14 that I loved shooting.
Glad to be of assistance.
(05-25-2018, 03:01 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Yes. I have already acknowledged that they use all sorts of weapons from hand guns to flame throwers. But as far as I know the standard issue combat weapon is a semi auto rifle, not a bolt action single shot. If slower is better why don't they issue bolt action (other than snipers).
Why do they use lots of different weapons systems? Because no one weapon system is the ideal weapon in every feasible combat environment. Sniper rifles are bolt action in many cases btw. The standard issue weapon is a select fie (not semi-auto) rifle because most combat engagements will take place at a range for which shotguns are near, if not totally, useless. In fact, our soldiers had issues in Afghanistan because the engagement distance has frequently been further than is optimal for M4's equipped with 14 inch barrels. Hence units were being issued with old M14's to accommodate this greater engagement distance. All that being said, the optimal weapon for fighting room to room would be a shotgun. A shotgun's deficiencies, lack of ranger being paramount, prevent it from being issued in numbers for other environments.
